![Best Woodsy Perfumes](https://www.byrdie.com/thmb/xV86bzEWvinWRGEvxHfP7FA5zKI=/1500x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/BYRDIE-woodsy-perfumes-primary-v1-497bd807d17441da9f1db4a1dee0bb60.jpg)
Byrdie / Sabrina Jiang
While each person is different regarding their taste in fragrance, there's no doubt that woodsy scents feel sophisticated and cool. Maybe it's because they're a departure from the overly sweet perfumes of our youth, or maybe it's just something that happens to your olfactory system as you grow up (much like our taste buds). Either way, there's no denying the sultry appeal of a scent that's laced with notes like cedar, amber, bergamot, or sandalwood.
According to Nick Smart, director of Libertine Parfumerie and CEO of Agence de Parfum, woodsy perfumes are typically defined by the presence of earthy notes such as amber, cedar, patchouli, and sandalwood. These have a dry, warm smell—evocative of, well, the woods.
In celebration of the chicest fragrance category ever, we're rounding up our favorites that appeal to every mood, outfit, and personality.
Keep scrolling to shop for the best woodsy perfumes.
Best Overall
Le Labo Santal 33 Eau De Parfum
![Le Labo Santal 33](https://www.byrdie.com/thmb/B3H07QMIVZhliIn4nHi3OmLh3is=/fit-in/1500x1000/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/nordstrom-le-labo-santal-33-bc73a75de201473a94fbba663d253c24.jpg)
Nordstrom
Long-lasting
Not too strong
Expensive
Who else recommends it? StyleCraze and Who What Wear both picked the Le Labo Santal 33.
What do buyers say? 63% of 700+ Amazon reviewers rated this product 5 stars.
In 2015, The New York Times called this fragrance "the scent you smell everywhere," and we'd have to agree wholeheartedly. Santal 33 is the perfume that popularized the niche fragrance category and has basically filled every hotel lobby bar, creative office, and concept store since. An ode to the "spirit of the American West," it's a memorable blend of cardamom, violet accord, leather, and sandalwood, making for a woodsy scent that's intoxicating and cool.
Price at time of publish: $90 for .5 oz
Type: Eau de parfum | Top Notes: Violet accord, cardamom | Free of: Parabens | Size: 0.5 fluid ounces, 1.7 fluid ounces, 3.4 fluid ounces, 16.9 fluid ounces | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: Yes
Best Organic
Skylar Willow Eau de Toilette
![Skylar Willow Eau de Toilette](https://www.byrdie.com/thmb/50OKUimV75ZOSjkloli2mah6V5A=/fit-in/1500x640/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/willow-3d1a15f2d7e443299ba049924c252552.jpg)
Can layer with other scents
Affordable
Not as long-lasting as other options
Clean, natural fragrance brand Skylar is making waves in the industry for its sophisticated olfactive offering an accessible price point. Willow specifically is an interesting but beautiful blend of benzoin tree, cedarwood, and galbanum, giving it a woodsy, earthy quality we can't get enough of.
Type: Eau de toilette | Top Notes: Benzoin tree, cedarwood, galbanum | Size: 1.7 oz.| Cruelty-Free: Yes
Best for Floral Lovers
Maison Margiela REPLICA Springtime In A Park Eau de Toilette
![Margiela Springtime in a Park](https://www.byrdie.com/thmb/wTgS6Nw0H4v60Kec2kSpcUjUKeQ=/fit-in/1500x1024/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/Replica-0459c52586d94ea582e24b1e09e3d95c.jpg)
Not too strong
Long-lasting
May be too sweet for some
Margiela fragrances are unique in that they evoke a specific place or experience, in this case, a blooming park in Shanghai on the first days of spring. Floral fragrance lovers will fall hard for the notes of lily blossoms, pear, and a touch of musk, but the woody, rich base gives it depth.
Price at time of publish: $76
Type: Eau de toilette | Top Notes: Pear accord, bergamot essence, blackcurrant accord | Size: 0.34 oz., 1 oz., 3.4 oz.| Cruelty-Free: No | Byrdie Clean: Yes
Best Sweet
Dolce & Gabbana The Only One Eau de Parfum
![DOLCE&GABANNA The Only One Eau de Parfum](https://www.byrdie.com/thmb/XO9ExO5_ByfP6_8nXDMiWOGRWzo=/fit-in/1500x796/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/DG-6cf215bc81934c66ad436f72eac34499.jpg)
Courtesy of Sephora
Long-lasting
Warm
May be too sweet for some
If you just can't stray from sweetness, this Dolce & Gabbana classic is the perfect middle ground. It has a syrupy caramel hint to it, but with added lightness from citrus and violet. And after a few hours of wear, you'll be able to smell the rich, coffee base notes. In a word, it's delicious.
Type: Eau de parfum | Top Notes: Violet, bergamot | Size: 0.33 oz., 1.6 oz., 3.3 oz.| Cruelty-Free: No | Byrdie Clean: No
Best Lasting
BYREDO Bal D'Afrique
![BYREDO Bal D'Afrique](https://www.byrdie.com/thmb/SUDSUT3fIwzi2uh2Xi9N7xx3s3c=/fit-in/1500x1196/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/BYREDOBalDAfrique-13309c5b80c5431099408df3e38ede8d.jpeg)
Warm
Romantic
Long-lasting
May be too strong for some
This iconic fragrance is a delightful mix of African marigold, bergamot, black amber, cedarwood, and musk, making for a fragrance that's warm, romantic, and complex. And like all Byredo blends, it's got incredible staying power, too.
Type: Eau de parfum | Top Notes: Bergamot, African marigold, bucchu | Free of: Oil, parabens | Size: 1.7 oz., 3.4 oz.| Cruelty-Free: No | Byrdie Clean: Yes
Best New Launch
Diptyque Orphéon
![Diptyque Orphéon](https://www.byrdie.com/thmb/3-A-_SHO_qzLin2OWz8yNxuFJLM=/fit-in/1500x1080/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/DiptyqueOrpheon-c06481ad57fd4bfa89b61d999cdb17c8.jpg)
Bluemercury
Feels expensive
Unisex scent
Not as long-lasting as other options
The latest from Diptyque is all of our woodsy, Parisian fragrance dreams realized. Inspired by the stylish intellectual set of Saint-Germain in the early 1960s, the rich, tobacco-laced scent feels expensive and opulent. A hint of juniper gives it an aromatic, gin-like quality, while cedarwood adds some freshness.
Price at time of publish: $205
Type: Eau de parfum | Top Notes: Tonka beans | Size: 2.5 oz.| Cruelty-Free: No | Byrdie Clean: Yes
Best Dry Wood
Tom Ford Oud Wood Parfum
![Oud Wood](https://www.byrdie.com/thmb/M7vLNpWK0LU-P-TZ_1eXowxqnMk=/fit-in/1500x640/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/oudwood-2eec9aa0c7ea4755a9eee7a0ea228b2f.jpg)
Unisex scent
Not too strong
Not as long-lasting as other options
Oud purists will be enamored with Tom Ford Oud Wood. The dry, smoky redolence is made up of sandalwood, rosewood, eastern spice, and Chinese pepper, giving it a really bold, genderless feel.
Price at time of publish: $285
Type: Eau de parfum | Top Notes: Rosewood, cardamom, Chinese pepper | Size: 0.3 oz., 1 oz., 1.7 oz., 3.4 oz., 8.4 oz.| Cruelty-Free: No | Byrdie Clean: No
Best Splurge
Maison Francis Kurkdjian Baccarat Rouge 540
![Maison Francis Kurkdjian Baccarat Rouge 540](https://www.byrdie.com/thmb/DjvPO9Qb9lWRG5MNB6jlbgX-JH8=/fit-in/1500x1000/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/Maison-Francis-Kurkdjian-Baccarat-Rouge-540-16f986dee133402cb48a909b6d33b18c.jpg)
Nordstrom
Long-lasting
Great for gifting
Expensive
If you can move past the eye-watering price tag, this really is one of the most unique, memorable scents we've ever come across. It gets its woody depth from cedarwood and ambergris, but jasmine and saffron add an addictive, feminine quality. It's one of those scents that's hard to discern a single note too, which is probably why so many people are enchanted by it (us included).
Price at time of publish: $325 for 2.4 oz
Type: Eau de parfum | Top Notes: Saffron, jasmine | Size: 0.37 oz., 1.2 oz., 2.4 oz., 6.8 oz. | Cruelty-Free: No | Byrdie Clean: No
Best Oriental
Yves Saint Laurent Opium
![Yves Saint Laurent Opium](https://www.byrdie.com/thmb/DqjqCIVhHuxjuOOpSwjb73kQkkU=/fit-in/1500x1000/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/sephora-yves-saint-laurent-opium-d2786143bccd429b83ee8e58d52b8cc6.jpg)
Sephora
Warm
Sexy
Long-lasting
May be too strong for some
Opium has got to be one of the most iconic fragrances of all time, and we get why. Mysterious and evocative, it uses the power of plum, clove, myrrh, and sandalwood to turn heads and solicit the ultimate beauty compliment: "What fragrance are you wearing?"
Price at time of publish: $77
Type: Eau de parfum, eau de toilette | Top Notes: Mandarin, bergamot | Size: 1 oz., 1.6 oz., 3.0 oz.| Cruelty-Free: No | Byrdie Clean: No (parfum), Yes (toilette)
Best Unisex
COMME DES GARCONS Wonderwood
![COMME DES GARCONS Wonderwood](https://www.byrdie.com/thmb/sCMetD807PtNNsQEpzdrpXaux6c=/fit-in/1500x640/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/COMMEDESGARCONSWonderwood-d5fcd3f4a7534c94ae9667474e6d89b1.jpg)
Unisex scent
Dry
May be too strong for some
If you like a neutral scent that errs on the masculine side of things, Wonderwood is made for you. Similar to Tom Ford Oud Wood, it's incredibly dry and clean—in part thanks to notes like oud, sandalwood, cypress wood, and gaïac wood.
Price at time of publish: $72
Type: Eau de parfum | Top Notes: Madagascan pepper, bergamot, Somalian incense, nutmeg | Size: 1.7 oz., 3.4 oz.| Cruelty-Free: No | Byrdie Clean: Yes
Best Niche Perfume
Hive Luxury Fragrances Trust
![Hive Luxury Fragrances Trust](https://www.byrdie.com/thmb/V_audOxnutBYP3J06tPYKA3FtXI=/fit-in/1500x640/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/HiveLuxuryFragrancesTrust-dc3cca2f87344640a352553e119358a5.jpg)
Long-lasting
Warm
Bottles are smaller than other options
Want to top up your scent throughout the day? These purse-sized atomizers from Hive are great, and Trust, in particular, is a great pick-me-up off the back of a stressful workday. A compilation of tobacco, leather, gunmetal, violet, and whiskey, it's strong and assertive—exactly how we want to feel walking into a big meeting.
Type: Eau de Parfum | Top Notes: Tobacco, leather, gunmetal, violet, whiskey, maple, caramel | Size: 0.25 oz., 0.06 oz.
Best Classic
Pehnhaligon's London Lothair
![Pehnhaligon’s Lothair](https://www.byrdie.com/thmb/urBl6lRSj4tD7ESp-zGN0AMmlgU=/fit-in/1500x918/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/PehnhaligonsLothair-a07afa035d3d42cf8af88fa5c2402796.jpeg)
Long-lasting
Warm
Expensive
Fun fact: Pehnhalogon's Lothair was actually the late Prince Phillips' fragrance of choice. It's what we could call a fresh, woody scent with hints of citrus, fig, black tea, grapefruit, ambergris, and oakmoss. While it's spritely and masculine at first, it settles into the skin, revealing a soft, creamy base. And while a men's scent categorically, we love it across the board.
Type: Eau de toilette | Top Notes: Pink pepper, juniper berry, red berries, cardamom, bergamot, grapefruit, fig leaf | Size: 3.3 ounces | Cruelty-Free: Yes
Final Verdict
Fragrance is about as intimate as it gets in the world of beauty, so choosing a perfume is a personal endeavor. But if we had to call out a few standouts, we'd name Santal 33, simply because it's iconic and delicious; Baccarat Rouge 540, for being one of the most unique and sophisticated scents on the market; and finally Oud Wood, for its commitment to the woody fragrance category (the fact that Tom Ford is incredibly chic doesn't hurt, either).
What to Look for When Buying a Woodsy Perfume
Test the Fragrance
The best way to trial a fragrance is to actually wear it. If you can, Smart suggests choosing a few you like on paper cards, spraying one on each wrist and a third on the inner elbow. Smart explains you should allow at least half an hour for the notes to develop, and judge them accordingly.
Classic Scents
If you want to seek out some woody benchmarks, Smart has called out the following as his go-to’s: Penhaligon's Lothhair, Lubin Idole, and Mizensir Perfect Oud.
Application
When it comes to actually wearing your fragrance, the application is important so as to not damage the delicate notes. Smart explains we should always spritz in a sweeping motion across the skin. He also points out you should never rub your wrists together. Instead, allow the fragrance to slowly evolve on the skin.
Why Trust Byrdie?
If you grouped Byrdie's collective team fragrance collections, you'd be floored at the sheer volume. But in all seriousness, Emily Algar tests and trials new scents all the time, not to mention she has spent time over the years picking the brains of experts. She has also tapped the expertise of Nick Smart for this piece, one of the industry's most well-versed experts in the field.
According to our Diversity Pledge, 15 percent of products in our newly-published market roundups will feature Black-owned and/or Black-founded brands. At the time of publishing, we were not able to find any woodsy perfumes from a Black-owned and/or Black-founded business. If you know of one we should consider, please email us at contact@byrdie.com, and we will evaluate the product ASAP.